Trailer full of props stolen from youth dance troupe

Jamie Osteen, co-owner of Releve Performing Arts Center, holds a prop with some of her students in front of one of the company's trailers used to transport props and luggage to and from competitions. Another trailer containing many of the company's props used in a recent national competition, where a Releve troop claimed a national championship, was stolen Sunday night.

Published: Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at 6:56 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at 6:56 p.m.

Jamie Osteen, co-owner and instructor at Releve Performing Arts Center, and her troupe of 75 dancers returned home from a national competition in high spirits June 29. The dancers had claimed three victories, including a national championship, in the week-long finals in Panama City, Fla.

“We were excited and super proud of them,” Osteen said.

But those high spirits crashed on Monday when Osteen learned that a trailer holding most of the props used in their winning numbers had been stolen from the studio parking lot.

“They were coming back on such a high,” Osteen said. “To come home and have this happen, I just can't believe this.”

Osteen said she felt sick, seeing the disappointment in her kids' faces as they noticed their props were gone. The scenery was a centric part of the troupe's national championship number, “The Auction,” a spooky routine choreographed by Osteen in which dancers creep out of the walls and props on stage.

The number soared to the top at the Kids Artistic Revue in Florida, where 42 studios with 1,217 routines vied for glory from June 22 through June 28.

Releve's production of “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” utilizing oversized props of a large blue Lego and large blades of grass, finished fourth out of 16 productions. Those props were stolen too.

“I don't even know what we're going to do for the Apple Festival,” Osteen said. The dancers and instructors had planned to use the props at the event to show off their winning numbers.

“They're concerned and worried about what we're going to do. I told them we'd figure something out,” she said, but added it would be better if the thief “would actually return the stuff.”

Osteen said she was told another trailer was reported stolen in the area on Monday and that the thieves likely cased the area leading up to the theft to determine the best time to strike.

The trailer was last seen at the studio around 7 p.m. Sunday, but was missing by 10 a.m. Monday morning.

A surveillance camera at a nearby business that could have spotted the trailer's hijackers was on the fritz Sunday night.

Osteen said that she noticed the trailer missing at around 3:30 p.m. Monday and called the police.

The studio had two trailers parked outside: a 10-foot-long trailer emblazoned with the company's name, address and phone number and a plain 12-foot-long trailer the company had borrowed from the father of Osteen's business partner. The borrowed trailer was missing.

“The police officer said it's a pretty big racket,” Osteen said. “They're stealing lots of trailers in the area and they're taking them across the border to South Carolina. They scratch off the VIN (Vehicle Identification Numbers), and the part that makes me cringe, they burn the contents of the trailer and I'm like, 'oooh nooo.' Then they turn around and sell the trailer.

“The problem with that is this is our trailer that was purchased,” she said, pointing to the one still outside on Tuesday. “The one that was stolen was borrowed... so now we owe him a trailer.”

The stolen trailer will likely be repainted and then resold, Osteen said, but she worries about the cargo.

“The only thing on the trailer that would be of any value is the scaffolding,” Osteen said. They use it a lot in set building and at the studio. A couple of sheets of metal used in tap dance numbers could be sold for scrap, she said, but most of the cargo, which may be junk for the thieves, is “priceless to us.”

“They couldn't have hit us in a worse way,” Osteen said. “As much as I hate losing the trailer, it can be replaced. The props can't be replaced.”

She estimated the props to have been worth at least $1,000 to the company.

“This makes you sick,” she said. “You try to do everything right... and then this happens.”

The theft came as another blow to the intrepid troupe that has been plagued by roadside mishaps on the way to and from competitions for the past two years. Cars have broken down. A trailer came unhitched. But their latest journey to Florida seemed like smooth sailing, until a transmission went out on the way home.

“We thought we had beat the roadside curse,” Osteen said with a frustrated smile as she pointed out a plaque one of the parents had given the company that read, “Beat the Roadside Curse.”

But, all in all, it was a great trip, Osteen said, and looking on the bright side, she is relieved the theft happened after their victory at nationals. Their success was something the thieves couldn't swipe.

The troupe is still hoping its props may be returned, and some of them could be easy to spot: a wooden mountain range large enough for 10-year-olds to scale, blades of nearly 10-feet-tall grass made of a pleather-type material, a chaise lounge topped with a stretchy fabric that a dancer could disappear into, and a large blue Lego.

The trailer is a white 12-foot-long 1999 Pace trailer, which has a big long scratch down its back door and a decal that looks like wings on its rear right door, Osteen said.

She encourages anyone who may spot the trailer or props to call the studio at 828-696-4141.

<p>Jamie Osteen, co-owner and instructor at Releve Performing Arts Center, and her troupe of 75 dancers returned home from a national competition in high spirits June 29. The dancers had claimed three victories, including a national championship, in the week-long finals in Panama City, Fla.</p><p>“We were excited and super proud of them,” Osteen said.</p><p>But those high spirits crashed on Monday when Osteen learned that a trailer holding most of the props used in their winning numbers had been stolen from the studio parking lot. </p><p>“They were coming back on such a high,” Osteen said. “To come home and have this happen, I just can't believe this.”</p><p>Osteen said she felt sick, seeing the disappointment in her kids' faces as they noticed their props were gone. The scenery was a centric part of the troupe's national championship number, “The Auction,” a spooky routine choreographed by Osteen in which dancers creep out of the walls and props on stage.</p><p>The number soared to the top at the Kids Artistic Revue in Florida, where 42 studios with 1,217 routines vied for glory from June 22 through June 28. </p><p>Releve's production of “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” utilizing oversized props of a large blue Lego and large blades of grass, finished fourth out of 16 productions. Those props were stolen too.</p><p>“I don't even know what we're going to do for the Apple Festival,” Osteen said. The dancers and instructors had planned to use the props at the event to show off their winning numbers. </p><p>“They're concerned and worried about what we're going to do. I told them we'd figure something out,” she said, but added it would be better if the thief “would actually return the stuff.”</p><p>Osteen said she was told another trailer was reported stolen in the area on Monday and that the thieves likely cased the area leading up to the theft to determine the best time to strike.</p><p>The trailer was last seen at the studio around 7 p.m. Sunday, but was missing by 10 a.m. Monday morning.</p><p>A surveillance camera at a nearby business that could have spotted the trailer's hijackers was on the fritz Sunday night.</p><p>Osteen said that she noticed the trailer missing at around 3:30 p.m. Monday and called the police. </p><p>The studio had two trailers parked outside: a 10-foot-long trailer emblazoned with the company's name, address and phone number and a plain 12-foot-long trailer the company had borrowed from the father of Osteen's business partner. The borrowed trailer was missing.</p><p>“The police officer said it's a pretty big racket,” Osteen said. “They're stealing lots of trailers in the area and they're taking them across the border to South Carolina. They scratch off the VIN (Vehicle Identification Numbers), and the part that makes me cringe, they burn the contents of the trailer and I'm like, 'oooh nooo.' Then they turn around and sell the trailer.</p><p>“The problem with that is this is our trailer that was purchased,” she said, pointing to the one still outside on Tuesday. “The one that was stolen was borrowed... so now we owe him a trailer.”</p><p>The stolen trailer will likely be repainted and then resold, Osteen said, but she worries about the cargo.</p><p>“The only thing on the trailer that would be of any value is the scaffolding,” Osteen said. They use it a lot in set building and at the studio. A couple of sheets of metal used in tap dance numbers could be sold for scrap, she said, but most of the cargo, which may be junk for the thieves, is “priceless to us.”</p><p>“They couldn't have hit us in a worse way,” Osteen said. “As much as I hate losing the trailer, it can be replaced. The props can't be replaced.”</p><p>She estimated the props to have been worth at least $1,000 to the company.</p><p>“This makes you sick,” she said. “You try to do everything right... and then this happens.”</p><p>The theft came as another blow to the intrepid troupe that has been plagued by roadside mishaps on the way to and from competitions for the past two years. Cars have broken down. A trailer came unhitched. But their latest journey to Florida seemed like smooth sailing, until a transmission went out on the way home.</p><p>“We thought we had beat the roadside curse,” Osteen said with a frustrated smile as she pointed out a plaque one of the parents had given the company that read, “Beat the Roadside Curse.”</p><p>But, all in all, it was a great trip, Osteen said, and looking on the bright side, she is relieved the theft happened after their victory at nationals. Their success was something the thieves couldn't swipe.</p><p>The troupe is still hoping its props may be returned, and some of them could be easy to spot: a wooden mountain range large enough for 10-year-olds to scale, blades of nearly 10-feet-tall grass made of a pleather-type material, a chaise lounge topped with a stretchy fabric that a dancer could disappear into, and a large blue Lego. </p><p>The trailer is a white 12-foot-long 1999 Pace trailer, which has a big long scratch down its back door and a decal that looks like wings on its rear right door, Osteen said. </p><p>She encourages anyone who may spot the trailer or props to call the studio at 828-696-4141.</p><p>___</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>